Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
During the Northridge earthquake in 1994, I remember being violently jolted awake and then discovering that my home was full of broken glass, cracks, and chaos. I remember reaching for my flashlight on my bed stand, only to find the stand had been thrown across the room. One side of my bed was blocked by my sliding glass closet door that had traveled somehow across the room. Next to that was a large TV from the opposite wall. As I got up and eventually went downstairs, to my great horror, the floor of my kitchen was covered with my broken Waterford and Boda crystal, mixed in with pieces of my best china, the contents of my opened fridge, and all my spilled dried goods, all mixed up together all over the floor.
As I began to carefully throw away all my broken treasures, I vowed to use my remaining good crystal and china for the rest of my life. I would not allow another day to go by without eating off my best dishes. If they get broken, it will be from using them, not storing them! This has become a theme in my life, “Eat off your good dishes” in every area of life. I share with others to always be their best, dance their best and act their best. I say, “Dance to your full potential”, “Live your day to the fullest”. This always brings a smile to others they understand that NOW is the time to shine and use all our gifts.
In all that I do, I am trying to do and be my best in all circumstances. I might be trying to be number one Arthur Murray teacher in the world (1980) or just trying to get up after successful surgery (2020) or just coming back to dance and run our school with Joel (2023), I am trying to do my best.
How to eat off your good dishes daily? For me, it is remembering to have a dream and to ponder and think on that dream. Covid in some way touched the lives of everyone around the world. I lost my #1 Arthur Murray mentor and friend during the pandemic. One day we were chatting via email, then he went into the hospital and died. He was my dream maker mentor.
Our whole world of dance with Arthur Murray was reinvented overnight to teaching on Zoom and it was a huge success for all of us. We then began to teach in our studio and dancing began to resume in person. Santa Monica was not like the East Coast or Florida. We shut down for 95 then 80 days and we were not allowed to teach one-on-one. Just down the street in Orange County, mask less bars were in full swing and people danced and dined as if there was no tomorrow. It was not fair for those of us who were sited and fined if we had our businesses opened. (The shop next to us was fined 1K for serving inside and the police were called). Crazy business.
Now that, in Santa Monica, we have full ability to teach in our school again, I say to each student “Thank you for coming in today!”. I am so thankful and grateful to all our staff and students and I feel every person is a blessing after the past unprecedented years of the pandemic.
Back to the good dishes, I urge all of us to give the very best we can to each dancer who enters our doors. To give them the best instruction, best professional and fun Arthur Murray experience. To make each student feel that they are each the reason for our day. To show that each question is important and that they are never an interruption to our day, but the purpose of our day.
I am thankful to Joel, my partner in all of my life, who works tirelessly to give his beyond the best daily. To our staff who care about their students and all the staff. I am thankful for the 47 years of never giving up and never losing my spark to keep on going and to love dancing and love life.
When I offer a dance tip, share a Swing or a Waltz at a dance party, or just be present in the school, I try to serve great service from my “best dishes”. My goal is to realize the dream in my heart and use the decades of experience to make that dream a reality.
Here is an assignment for you. Go home and either cook a great meal or bring home some exceptional take-away. Then, pull out your best candles that you are saving, your silver candle holders. Pull out the linen napkins and the elegant place mats. Serve the wine and water with your finest glasses. Present your meal on the best plates you have in the dining room or storage.
Then, light the candles, put on some elegant and relaxing music, serve a great meal and linger for good conversation and then have coffee and a sweet.
Relish the moment rediscovering your dining room and luxuriate in your moment. Enjoy the great conversation and take as long as you want for dinner, and then just a bit more. Take a photo to remember the special moment. Have fun in the kitchen cleaning and putting your “good stuff” away, leaving it available for another meal in the very near future.
Serve up the best life has to offer you on your “best dishes” and live your best moments. Live your dreams and awaken the light and life within you.
As we say in “David’s Kitchen”…Bon Appetite!
Thank you for reading,
David Woodbury